2021–2026
Rene is a board member and founder of the Institute of Baltic Studies. He is responsible for developing the think tank’s international cooperation and is primarily involved in innovation, knowledge management, and smart city topics. Rene established the Baltic Innovation Agency (BIA) and has served as a board member at Tartu Science Park and Tartu Biotechnology Park. He is also the founder and investor of the Buildit business accelerator and a partner in several investment funds focused on startups in Estonia and Latvia.
Rene holds a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Tartu and has also studied international relations in France at Sciences Po, economics in the United Kingdom at the University of Cambridge, and European Union law in Italy at the European University Institute.
In his free time, Rene enjoys going to the sauna and taking ice baths.